“Because I’m taking some time off to be with you,” I told him.
“You are?”
I nodded, running my hand over his hair. “I am. How was your day?”
“It was all right,” he said with a sigh.
“I’m going to talk to your teacher and ask if I can volunteer in your class,” I told him.
“Okay.”
“How about we get some hot dogs?” Joss asked. “I’m starving.”
I followed them to the little food court area. “Mom never lets me have French fries,” Jace said.
“That is not true,” I said with a laugh. “We just had McDonald’s last week.”
“But not on a school day,” he argued.
He had a point. “But today is a special day,” I told him.
“Is it my birthday?” he asked with confusion.
“Nope. It’s just a special day. I get to hang out with you and that is very special to me.”
He took a bite of his fry before looking at me again. “Are you going to be home tomorrow after school?”
I nodded. “I am.”
He nodded as he took another bite. He looked happy. Like really happy. The kind of happy I had not seen in him in a long time. It made it all better. I would eat grilled cheese and ramen noodles if that was what it took to keep my little man happy.
We finished our lunch and headed for the sand tables that Jace loved. “This is fun, huh?” I said to Jace.
“Yep. Can we go play in the music room?”
I looked at Joss, who nodded. It was probably the least favorite exhibit in the place for any parent. “Let’s do it,” I said and clapped my hands. “We are going to make Bach proud!”
“Who?” Caitlyn asked.
Joss and I laughed and followed the kids toward the room that was somewhat soundproof. I figured it was only thirty minutes. There was Advil in my purse. If he wanted to beat the hell out of the drums, I was good with it. We played until I was certain my ears were broken. When we left the museum, I felt like I had just made up for months of neglect. He was in a great mood.
“It was good,” Joss said with a smile from the front passenger seat.
“So good. Thank you for hanging with us. He needed the extra attention.”
“You are doing a good thing,” she said. “Really, you are making sacrifices that I know terrify you, but it’s going to work out. I have no doubt in my mind you will land on your feet.”
I nodded. “Thank you. “This is a good thing. I have to keep telling myself that. Whenever doubt creeps up, I shut it down. I remind myself that being poor isn’t criminal. We can be happy without going to McDonald’s every weekend or buying every game he likes.”
“You’re assuming you’re not going to get a job,” she said with a laugh. “It’s been a day. Just take a breath. You know you’re going to be fine.”
I nodded. “I know. Most of the time I’m fine, but there are moments I panic a little.”
“I still panic sometimes.” She laughed.
She drove down my street and the first thing I noticed was the car that was out of place on my street. I frowned, staring at the Porsche parked in front of my house.
“Wow, your neighbor is moving up in the world,” Joss teased.
“That’s not my neighbor’s car,” I murmured.
She pulled into my driveway. Nash was sitting on my porch in my rocking chair. “Woah, that’s him?” she said.
I nodded. “Um, do you think you can take Jace to your house for a bit?” I asked. “I’ll pick him up as soon as I’m done here.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“I can stay,” she offered. “We’ll play in the backyard and give you guys some privacy if you want.”
“It’s okay. I need to get this over with. I know him and he tends to get vocal. I don’t want Jace around if it does get ugly.”
“I understand. If you need me, you call. I’ll come right back.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Jace, you’re going to Caitlyn’s house for a bit. I’ll pick you up soon.”
“Okay, Mom,” he said without a care in the world.
I closed my eyes and counted to five. “Here goes nothing,” I muttered.
“Stay strong,” she said.
Chapter 30
Nash
I watched as she got out of the car and then blew a kiss to a little boy in the backseat. She did have a kid. I didn’t know why that was such a shock. I just never saw her as a mommy. It was crazy to think she had a child. I tried to imagine her pregnant. My imagination just wouldn’t go there. I tried to think of her holding a baby.
She walked toward the porch. She was wearing jeans and a blue sweater. It was very casual, but she looked sexier than I had ever seen her before. It was hot. I almost forgot the reason I came to her house. When I discovered she wasn’t home, I couldn’t bring myself to leave. I ended up taking a seat and mulling over life in general.
She stopped at the bottom of the steps and looked up at me. “Do you always show up at the houses of the employees that quit one of your businesses?”
I smirked. “If I did that, I’d never get any work done.”
“Very true. I imagine employees quitting is just another Tuesday for you.”
I shrugged. “It is.”
“Why are you here, Nash?”
“I want to talk.”
“You couldn’t call?” she asked.
“I’d prefer to talk in person.”
She took a deep breath and then blew it out. “Fine. I need to get some water and take Advil.”
I got to my feet when she walked onto the porch. She unlocked the door and walked in without explicitly inviting me in. I followed her inside without an invitation. I looked around her small house and it was pretty evident she definitely had a kid. Her house was tidy and comfortable. It looked like the typical American home.
“Do I have to offer you a drink?” she asked from her kitchen. “Is this going to be a long lecture?”
“I’m not here to lecture you,” I said.
I sat down at the kitchen table and felt something sticky. I got up and moved to a different seat. I rubbed at the sticky part on my hand.
“Oh shit,” she muttered. “We had pancakes this morning.”
She ripped off a paper towel, got it wet and then handed it to me. “Thanks,” I said and wiped away the sticky stuff.
She cleaned off the table and then came back to sit down. “All right, you’re here. Why?”
“I wanted to talk about the letter you left,” I said.
“It was a resignation letter,” she said.
“Yes and that’s what I want to discuss.”
“There’s nothing to discuss. I quit. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a full two-week notice, but it became critical that I leave. I explained that to you.”
“I need you back at the company,” I stated.
“No.”
“You’re not being reasonable,” I said.
She rolled her eyes. “You’re not being reasonable. I quit. You can’t just tell me I have to go back.”